The $70 fee would allow visitors to return for free for one week. Individual passes would increase from $12 to $30, and motorcycles entering the park would pay $50, up from $20.

"The timing, and the dramatic nature, of this increase took us by surprise," said David MacDonald, president of Friends of Acadia, a Bar Harbor nonprofit. "A lot of people here in Maine don't necessarily have that discretionary income, so it might deter people."

While Friends of Acadia supports incremental increases to park entrance fees to support the needed maintenance and park upkeep, MacDonald said he thinks $70 is too high.

He said some local business owners are worried that the fee increase could backfire, and cause park attendance to decline. If attendance suffers, so do their small businesses, which rely on the tourist economy.

"This is a huge part of a lot of people's livelihoods," MacDonald said.

Some park visitors said they think the $70 entrance fee is worth it, especially if it can cover multiple days.